Reducing the reliance of private motor vehicles through development assessment process

Hi all,

I am working on an assignment for Uni which asks me to:

evaluate a component of the development assessment process offering possible improvements and potential alternatives and/or outcomes

.

My chosen topic/component was reducing reliance of private motor vehicles (primarily cars). We have been asked to look at our local development assessment process and compare this to other systems in Australia and internationally, essentially benchmarking our system here in Perth, critiquing it and highlighting the weak points where changes could be made (and what changes they would be).

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any relevant publications, case studies or examples that are relevant to this topic that I can further study and analyse. Any help appreciated.

Thanks for the suggestions, however I am looking for working examples of how the development assessment process has been improved to provide those outcomes.

E.g.

A.) In one place the parking requirements may be a minimum of 1 parking bay per 100m2 of Gross Leasable Area (GLA) office space (fictional figure). This is the typical model style here in Perth.

B.) Another place the parking may be instead allow reductions in parking bays if the development is within a TOD walkable catchment to a minimum of 0 per 100m2 GLA, have a minimum amount of 1 per 100m2 of cycle parking, requirements for end of trip facilities for any commercial office development over 500m2 GLA, and maybe even have a maximum number of parking bays such as 1 per 200m2.

Obviously option B is going to be more effective at reducing and discouraging vehicle use than the typical, prescriptive first option. This is done by encouraging development to be located within TOD areas through incentives of not having to build as much parking, requiring more cycle facilities and capping car parking.

What is a development assessment. Many of us may not be familiar with the term.

Assessing development.

E.g. as a planning officer for a local government/authority we are often in charge for assessing a proposed development against a criteria to make sure that it is suitable for the area's context, land use zone and desired outcomes for the area/zone.

A local authority might want to create more TOD development, so they might subsequently create a new planning policy that encourages public transport, walking and cycling (as exemplified previously) and also discourages car use.

I don't know how the planning system works outside of Australia, but surely it isn't too different. How is development being controlled to meet desired outcomes in other countries, where are they doing well with it, are there any outstanding policies/documents that deal with vehicle use/reliance?

There are others on this site that may know more but in general, land use regulation in the United States is much less free form. A city or county planning or building department would look at a proposed development and determine if it complies with the zoning code including any special district or overlays. If it does it can proceed pretty much as a right. If not, the developer would have to apply for a varience. Perhaps you are suggesting large-scale rezoning of cities?

There are others on this site that may know more but in general, land use regulation in the United States is much less free form. A city or county planning or building department would look at a proposed development and determine if it complies with the zoning code including any special district or overlays. If it does it can proceed pretty much as a right. If not, the developer would have to apply for a varience. Perhaps you are suggesting large-scale rezoning of cities?

So through that process where are there opportunities to change the criteria and methods that planners use to promote a reduction in vehicle dependence?

So through that process where are there opportunities to change the criteria and methods that planners use to promote a reduction in vehicle dependence?

Yes, when the master plan as adopted by the governing body has vehicle dependence reduction as an objective and the development regulations/design criteria as adopted by the governing body specify such actions. I am working on such now as are many others: it is in our master plan and I am drafting the regulatory codes to implement the plan.

Yes, when the master plan as adopted by the governing body has vehicle dependence reduction as an objective and the development regulations/design criteria as adopted by the governing body specify such actions. I am working on such now as are many others: it is in our master plan and I am drafting the regulatory codes to implement the plan.

So what would the regulations/design criteria be?

I am looking for 'nuts and bolts' effectively of how planning can reduce vehicle reliance through the development assessment process.

How can you 'force' developers to build developments that are cycle, pedestrian and public transport friendly and complimentary, while discouraging private vehicle use?

So what would the regulations/design criteria be?
I am looking for 'nuts and bolts' effectively of how planning can reduce vehicle reliance through the development assessment process.
How can you 'force' developers to build developments that are cycle, pedestrian and public transport friendly and complimentary, while discouraging private vehicle use?

Most of my work came from the "sustainable community development code and reform initiative" by the Rocky Mountain Land Institute. For some reason my link to their site is broken at the moment. I took all of their ideas, culled them down to what might work in my community. My list still runs to several pages and would not be that applicable to a place as large as Perth.

How do you force developers? Never. Adopted regulations with significant community buy-in do.

I am looking for 'nuts and bolts' effectively of how planning can reduce vehicle reliance through the development assessment process.

How can you 'force' developers to build developments that are cycle, pedestrian and public transport friendly and complimentary, while discouraging private vehicle use?

You require road widths that allow bike lanes, reduce min parking standards, require space for bus stops, allow mixed-use (altho around here mixed-use office has very high vacancy rate so there needs to be incentives too), install sidewalks that support mid-block crossings. Here we like to incent things such as allowing an extra floor on height if they provide parking decks, that sort of thing.

Most of my work came from the "sustainable community development code and reform initiative" by the Rocky Mountain Land Institute. For some reason my link to their site is broken at the moment.

That's pretty good. I attended several of the presentations/workshops & I'd say that goes pretty far toward an actual reality that is sustainable. I'd say most of that content is for early adopters, though and can't see widespread adoption for quite a while. My 2¢

Most of my work came from the "sustainable community development code and reform initiative" by the Rocky Mountain Land Institute. For some reason my link to their site is broken at the moment. I took all of their ideas, culled them down to what might work in my community. My list still runs to several pages and would not be that applicable to a place as large as Perth.

How do you force developers? Never. Adopted regulations with significant community buy-in do.

Thanks for the info. I'll try and find out more about the RMLA tomorrow.

I am looking to do a couple of case studies of international examples of how development is being controlled by planners to attain reduce vehicle dependence, so an actual 'nuts and bolt' code and reform document will be needed to analyse and compare to our systems here in Perth.

Btw- 'force' was only for lack of a better word.

Originally posted by ColoGI

You require road widths that allow bike lanes, reduce min parking standards, require space for bus stops, allow mixed-use (altho around here mixed-use office has very high vacancy rate so there needs to be incentives too), install sidewalks that support mid-block crossings. Here we like to incent things such as allowing an extra floor on height if they provide parking decks, that sort of thing.

Exactly, as well as other comments. Do you know of any successful planning policies/documents that deliver the outcomes and enforce these requirements for development?

Exactly, as well as other comments. Do you know of any successful planning policies/documents that deliver the outcomes and enforce these requirements for development?

First, it is RMLUI, all I find is linkrot at the moment.

You may want to check out any of the "complete streets" work being done here. Plenty of cities trying to do something, you might start with Seattle, altho their drivers for change are sustainability and salmon. The ITE is doing quite a lot as well, and contribute case studies to help cities.

You may want to check out any of the "complete streets" work being done here. Plenty of cities trying to do something, you might start with Seattle, altho their drivers for change are sustainability and salmon. The ITE is doing quite a lot as well, and contribute case studies to help cities.

Michigan has just adopted a Statewide complete streets policy. Its going to be interesting to see how this will change things at not only the State level, but local as well.